Former Nurse Aide Found Guilty of Rape at New York Hospital

A former nurse's aide was found guilty on Thursday of raping a patient inside the inpatient psychiatric unit of Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, New York, according to the Otsego County District Attorney's Office.

Tasheem I. Hoyt-Capirci, 30, of Richmondville, was convicted of third-degree rape after a three-day trial. The jury of seven men and five women reached their verdict following a 15-minute deliberation.

The conviction stems from an assault that occurred on September 2, 2025. Investigators stated that Hoyt-Capirci engaged in vaginal sexual contact with a psychiatric patient who was incapable of consenting and not married to him while he was working an overnight shift at the medical facility.

During the trial, eight witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution. Among them was a forensic scientist from the New York State Police Crime Lab, who confirmed that DNA collected from the victim matched Hoyt-Capirci's DNA profile.

The jury also reviewed DNA evidence reports, photographic documentation, and a layout diagram of the hospital's psychiatric unit. Jurors additionally listened to a recorded interview between the defendant and an investigator from the district attorney's office.

Hoyt-Capirci is scheduled to be sentenced on December 21. Prosecutors stated that he faces up to four years in state prison and will be mandated to register as a sex offender following his sentencing.